Zulu Royals to educate with own TV show

FILE PICTURE: King Goodwill Zwelithini taking the salute from members of the SAPF, 20 February 2012, at the official openning of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature with KwaZulu-Natal Premier; Dr Zweli Mkhize in the background. Photo: Reinhardt Hartzenberg

The Zulu Royal family, together with King Goodwill Zwelithini, will be hitting community television screens in KwaZulu Natal in October when an educational programme about Zulu culture, called ‘eBukhosini’, will kick off.

Despite displaying many of the trademarks of a reality television show, those involved are adamant that this is not the case and that the main motivation behind the show is to educate. IOL reports that ‘eBukhosini’ will be broadcast on Richards Bay-based community television channel 1KZN TV, as an investment by Durban millionaire Vivian Reddy.

Speaking at the show’s launch recently held at the Sibaya Casino, King Zwelithini said: “One of the unique interests we share with Mr Reddy is our quest for social cohesion. Together we strongly believe that as a province and a people, we should move from tolerating each other to accepting each other.”

He added: “There is no doubt in my mind that (the show)… will assist us going forward in terms of social cohesion. I say this because social cohesion is possible if we know each other better. This project will be educational and at the same time promote not only Zulu heritage, because I believe that the history of amaZulu will never be complete without the history of the British, the French, the Indians, the Afrikaners and others.”

The thirty-minute long programme will show the Zulu Royals as they go about their business both at work and at home, with viewers set to “learn about the different palaces and the history of the Zulu Royal family”.